To those who wanted a new class:

[jzhbee]

I ask you, Tinker fans, who thought they had a chance.
I ask you, Necromancer fans, who thought they had a chance.
I ask you, Dark Ranger fans, who thought they had a chance.

Why?

Expecting any class was understandable, considering the "pattern" of getting one every other expansion. But on the poll where it asked your "least favorite" part of the Shadowlands reveal, it wasn't that there was no class. It was that it wasn't the class you wanted.

Tinkers, looking at you. Nobody except fake leakers told you that Tinkers were going to be in this expansion. Like someone in denial you told yourself "but it's the only Hero class from Warcraft that makes sense!"
You said that "in the realm of death, only that made of machine can survive!"
You tried so hard to reason with yourself that this would come to pass. And you have the gall to blame the developer that this false promise lay unfulfilled?

To the Necromancers:
I'll agree that if they were to be introduced, this would be the expansion for it. But there was already backlash for Demon Hunters taking some of the class fantasy of Warlocks. The Demonology fans who lost Metamorphosis were sore, and some still are. And you expected them to introduce a class that would steal class fantasy from Death Knights? Sure, they could have been differentiated enough. But if you had told somebody about both classes side by side, the differences wouldn't be enough.

To the Dark Rangers:
I don't know what to say. The class as the lore is written only makes sense for Forsaken. Even if you were to broaden the class to "Ranger", you're just calling a class what a Marksman Hunter already is. It may have worked as a Fourth Talent Spec, but honestly, this was the class idea that was grasping the most.

I don't mean to say I don't understand your disappointment. I really do. But Blizzard never promised any of these. Fake leakers did, and you got your hopes up, knowing full well that 99% would be wrong.

And I know that you will be angry at me for telling you this. Let it all out. Let this be your catharsis.

[Skirdus]

Us Dragonsworn fans are chopped liver I see

[Teekey]

I don't mean to say I don't understand your disappointment. I really do. But Blizzard never promised any of these.

No one is blaming Blizzard for breaking any "promise".

Blizzard is being blamed for trying to sell us a featureless expansion.

[jzhbee]

Us Dragonsworn fans are chopped liver I see

Tbh I forgot about Dragonsworn. My bets were against a Dragon themed expansion, and Five Specs seemed REALLY unlikely.

[KyleEverett]

You seem awfully self righteous when you're not a dev yourself.

I'm disappointed in no new class or spec because they aren't even reworking any classes. Throwing a couple pointless passives on each class in the name of "class fantasy" is a cop out and the laziest thing they've ever tried to pull. They have a YEAR until this comes out and they can't even bother to fix broken specs like Subtlety or Enhancement(A spec that was promised a rework back in BfA alpha)

They are selling us Shallowlands and expecting us to be happy cause we get more hairstyles and some tattoos.

[jzhbee]

You seem awfully self righteous when you're not a dev yourself.

I'm disappointed in no new class or spec because they aren't even reworking any classes. Throwing a couple pointless passives on each class in the name of "class fantasy" is a cop out and the laziest thing they've ever tried to pull. They have a YEAR until this comes out and they can't even bother to fix broken specs like Subtlety or Enhancement(A spec that was promised a rework back in BfA alpha)

They are selling us Shallowlands and expecting us to be happy cause we get more hairstyles and some tattoos.

With the exceptions of big overhauls like in Legion, they rarely talk about Talent changes in the expansion features, because A. They don't have time to talk about every class at length and B. They don't want to make promises that could change over the course of development. Even when Beta starts a lot of talents will be NYI.

I'm perfectly fine with current Enh (although I miss long duration weapon enhancements). The biggest thing I hope is that they remove Breath of Sindrigosa.

[zlygork]

I just wanted a new class with a healing spec because it's been like 8 years that I haven't gotten my hands on something new for my favorite role (well, there was the enormous change to disc, but you know, fantasy and all), I expected blizzard to announce at least a race if not a class solely because it is a smart marketing move - it gets them pre-sales rolling.

I do not feel entitled to one, I am simply disappointed by the lack of one. That said, once I managed to get past the featureless "feature" trailer (more like zone trailer), once I got details about the expansion, I am feeling cautiously optimistic about it and I think it is gonna be a good ride. Just sad I won't get to experience it with a fresh character like I was hoping.

[cocomen2]

No one is blaming Blizzard for breaking any "promise".

Blizzard is being blamed for trying to sell us a featureless expansion.

Yep most people i know pay for expansion as payment for new class or race ...... why to pay for expansion that filled with AP grind , and souless recycled quests?

Empty box, who is main EVIL?, they MADE Demo for Blizzcon and its has 0 changes to fix so called BALANCE (all cry about how no new class means = BETTER BALANCE my ass)

If you making DEMO for Blizzcon = fill it with sellpoint FEATURES , not fc ANIMA.

And all of this Q&A, that do not even ask why there no new class , but instead ask for ... starting lvls .... okay. (Sold)

[Goldielocks]

I feel like this would have been the perfect expansion for class skins. It would basically allow the balance team to focus on class balance and the art team would simply make another class with the same rules as another.

[roninwookie]

Yep most people i know pay for expansion as payment for new class or race ...... why to pay for expansion that filled with AP grind , and souless recycled quests?

Empty box, who is main EVIL?, they MADE Demo for Blizzcon and its has 0 changes to fix so called BALANCE (all cry about how no new class means = BETTER BALANCE my ass)

Then don't
If enough people don't pre-order or play, Blizz will be forced to look into why and the reason is (at least for the most part) fairly obvious.

[zlygork]

With the exceptions of big overhauls like in Legion, they rarely talk about Talent changes in the expansion features, because A. They don't have time to talk about every class at length and B. They don't want to make promises that could change over the course of development. Even when Beta starts a lot of talents will be NYI.

I'm perfectly fine with current Enh (although I miss long duration weapon enhancements). The biggest thing I hope is that they remove Breath of Sindrigosa.

I cannot refute your argument, but it is also true they put too much emphasis during the deep dive panel into "look at these flavor spells that are back! yay!! classes fixed!" and "we don't want to change how classes work from now, the only changes we want to make are additive" kinda strongly hints to no major overhaul.

That one mage Kyrian spell does seem like it would affect the rotation quite a bit, so I suppose we will see to which point the classes do change.

[jzhbee]

I feel like this would have been the perfect expansion for class skins. It would basically allow the balance team to focus on class balance and the art team would simply make another class with the same rules as another.

I don't know, you say "simply", but every time an expansion comes out, the Art team has a lot to do, outside of making new icons, spell effects, and designs for new "class skins".

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I cannot refute your argument, but it is also true they put too much emphasis during the deep dive panel into "look at these flavor spells that are back! yay!! classes fixed!" and "we don't want to change how classes work from now, the only changes we want to make are additive" kinda strongly hints to no major overhaul.

That one mage Kyrian spell does seem like it would affect the rotation quite a bit, so I suppose we will see to which point the classes do change.

I agree, I was also kind of sad when I heard that their reasoning for no overhauls was "players might be confused". I would gladly be confused for a few days rather than being bored for another xpac in a row.

[Goldielocks]

I don't know, you say "simply", but every time an expansion comes out, the Art team has a lot to do, outside of making new icons, spell effects, and designs for new "class skins".

We are getting seemingly less features than ever this expansion. It’s not a big deal.

[Zatetic]

tbh I expect the game is so far away that next blizzcon they'll have actual information about the game. in the preach interview they were aiming for december 2020. this teaser contained a few neat technological things, but nothing juicy because they don't have anything to give.

[jzhbee]

We are getting seemingly less features than ever this expansion. It’s not a big deal.

Yes. Less features. Features are more intensive on the systems design teams. We have 5 new zones this expansion, as of right now, which is the standard for the Art team.

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tbh I expect the game is so far away that next blizzcon they'll have actual information about the game. in the preach interview they were aiming for december 2020. this teaser contained a few neat technological things, but nothing juicy because they don't have anything to give.

Oh god, I hope you're wrong. 1 year with 8.3 is is the Death Toll I don't want to see.

[KyleEverett]

The date they put on the pre-order means expect it to go live sometime between Oct 1st and Dec 31st. Odds are they're aiming for the earlier part of that window. In fact I wouldn't be shocked if we get Prepatch in September after 9 months of 8.3 with the expansion launching October 6th to give people enough time to get to 60 and clear the first raid before Blizzcon.

[kaminaris]

Honestly, their mantra "when it feels right" and "when it make sense" is going to be their downfall. Instead of focusing if mage tower fits in BfA they should focus on giving some new experience.

Original mage tower was glued to game with pigeon crap and somehow was still done.

Now that they don't see "it feels right" to add class ever again cause "it doesn't fit story completely". Who cares, we play for gameplay not for story which is mediocre at best.

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Oh and it completely does't have to be with new expansion. I would welcome new class even with some major patch.

[Spacewalrus2010]

We are getting seemingly less features than ever this expansion. It’s not a big deal.

Quality > Quantity.

Not saying they are quality features just yet, but so far seems like pretty cool features to me. I mean just a few days ago there was a thread about how people wish blizzard would focus more on central features rather than just tossing around gimmicks half-baked. That's how you get Warfronts and Island Expeditions.

Covenants and the Tower seem pretty central to gameplay. They aren't "side activities" like past expansion features.

[Kemsa]

ACTUALLY. Necromancers and Dark Ranger are a strong bet now after this expansion, because you know.....
We are going to dwelve in the dark powers of the afterlife. Even the Necrolords are the best starting point for a necromancer class.

And its better in this way... there is a lot of problems with the majority of Classes and specs, and apart from reducing the levels to 60, its the best time to fix a lot of problems.
I preffer to play a expansion when i can enjoy my class, rather a expansion with a new class and a horrible class design.

[LostSinclair]

The date they put on the pre-order means expect it to go live sometime between Oct 1st and Dec 31st. Odds are they're aiming for the earlier part of that window. In fact I wouldn't be shocked if we get Prepatch in September after 9 months of 8.3 with the expansion launching October 6th to give people enough time to get to 60 and clear the first raid before Blizzcon.

You really think they will wait that long? Most speculations i hear from people recently are on a mid to late summer release.